History

New Ashford was first settled in 1762 and was officially incorporated in 1836. It was named for Ashford, Connecticut, where the founding citizens came from. The town has mostly been a rural farming community, with few mills ever set up in the town. Beginning in 1916, New Ashford had the distinction of casting the first vote in United States Presidential Elections, as Dixville Notch, New Hampshire does today. Accordingly, this small rural town holds an important place in national history. Following the ratifcation of the Nineteenth Amendment the New Ashford poll was where Ms. Phoebe Jordan became the first woman to vote in a national election on November 2, 1920. The old wooden ballot box used on this historic occasion still sits in town hall, and is still in use today.

The town is home to the former Brodie Mountain ski area, a once popular ski resort, begun in 1939 on the Gregory Marakoff (Makaroff) farm.